GT USA Wilmington, the US arm of Gulftainer, the world’s largest, privately owned, independent ports and logistics company, will shortly take delivery of fully electric and eco-friendly cargo handling equipment from KoneCranes Inc., as it ramps up modernization and improvements at the Port of Wilmington.

The new equipment includes nine 41-ton Rubber Tired Gantry (RTG) cranes and three 45-ton Reach Stackers.
Eric Casey, CEO of GT USA Wilmington, said: “The addition of this advanced cargo handling equipment at the Port of Wilmington furthers our commitment to be environmentally conscious and to be mindful of our impact on the environment and the community, in alignment with our corporate values.
“This equipment forms the first part of $100 million to be invested in the first year of a total $500 plus million investment.  It will be introduced in a phased manner throughout 2019, significantly strengthening operational efficiency and increasing overall productivity at the port.”
In line with GT’s sustainability goals, and marking a first for both GT and KoneCranes, the RTGs and RAM spreaders are all-electric, thereby eliminating exhaust emissions from conventional diesel generators and any risk of oil contamination.
Auxiliary generators, to power the RTGs when out of stack, will be eliminated and pioneering technology is being introduced by GT USA, in the form of battery packs, thus eliminating exhaust emissions completely. As an added safety feature the equipment will be fitted with Konecranes’ Active Load Control (ALC) system, which eliminates container sway, and the Stack Collision Prevention system.
The RTGs are capable of stacking containers in stacks of five high and seven rows wide, plus a truck lane to increase yard stacking capacity; the Reach Stackers are capable of stacking containers five high.
“This new equipment underlines our obligation to further strengthen our operations at the terminal and defines the Port’s credentials as the number one gateway for imports of fresh fruit and juice concentrate in North America,” Casey said.  “We will continue to invest in our facilities to support the efficiency of operations and maximize productivity to create even better value for our customers.”